Saint Laurence – the Courteous Spaniard

The relics of St. Stephen have been relocated (“translated”) twice since the miraculous finding: from Jerusalem to Constantinople in the fifth century and from Constantinople to Rome in the sixth. May seventh is the day on which the Roman Church commemorates this last translation, when the Protomartyr’s remains were placed in the Church of St. Laurence in Agro Verano. According to Saints to Remember, “The body of Saint Stephen was placed beside the body of Saint Laurence, in Rome. When it was put there, Saint Laurence’s body miraculously moved to one side, while he extended to Saint Stephen his hand. The Italian Catholics call Saint Laurence, because of this kindness, ‘the courteous Spaniard.’ ”

Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside the Walls, where the relics are (photo by Livioandronico2013,

Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside the Walls, where the relics are enshrined
(photo by Livioandronico2013CC BY-SA 4.0)